There
were at least three centers of civilization that arose in the ancient
near east. They were Sumeria, Egypt and the Harappan culture of the
Indus Valley. One other early civilization is the BMAC the
Bactria-Margiana Archaeological Complex or also known as the Oxus
civilization. At this time it does not seem to be as old as the other
three but it is too early to tell. It may well hold surprises equal to
that of Sumer. These three great early civilizations gave birth to a
wealth of god and goddess legends. Transformed and reinvented by the
river valley civilizations the basic legends of the 100 were exported
around the world and passed on from generation to generation to the
presented time. At the core of these legends are the gods and the
connection to Heaven. This connection was the axis mundi,
the world tree and serphaic transport. Even from the earliest times was
the concept of the soul, Heaven, divine beings and immortality written
about, prayed over and sought after just like today. What cannot be
over emphasized is the impact the 100 had on the history of the planet
including Adam, Eve and "Enki".

One
interesting feature of these three civilizations is the
time line for the appearance and growth of these cultures. Very roughly
they started at about 3500 BC and lasted until 2000 BC. What was it
that happened that three (and possibly four) civilizations came into
being at the same time - and relatively close - given the long period
of time where early human progress was only stone age? What the
ancients have written is that it was divine intervention. That is that
civilization was a "gift from the gods". So positive were they in this
belief that they were absolutely obsessed with events of the past. So
powerful was its imagery, ritual and oral traditions that the religion
of Sumer influenced the entire near east and beyond. So easily were
these beliefs
assimilated into all of the River Civilizations that this acceptance
must derive from a well known common source. A source encoded within
ANE
traditions. Linguists cannot speak for
the Indus Valley as their "script" has as yet to be deciphered, if it
is a true language at that. But imagery of the Harappan shows in part
similar roots
to that of Sumer and Egypt. The most obvious is the Tree of Life and
the ever present Enki. The
story of the Tree of Life with all its different interpretations is the
strongest cohesive legend shared by the three great river valley
civilizations.The
tree is called by different
cultural names. It is the Mes and Huluppu tree of Sumer, the Pipal to
become the Bhodi tree of the Indus Valley and the sycamore-fig tree
(Hathor's tree) in Egypt.Those
who study ancient
cultures
call it a sacred tree. From the legend of the Tree comes the gods,
immortality,
wisdom, cosmic axis, fertility cults, serpent cults, divine kingship,
the first humans and paradise. Even the
Mother Goddess cults may spring from the Tree as well. Following are
different aspects of the Tree of Life interrelating as they
do in a malleable and plastic way. These
differing concepts from the
Tree expressed themselves as a remarkable and far reaching
cultural
impact. The Tree of Life was fertile in many ways.

Below are five pages of legends and symbols. Taken as a group these
symbols and
meanings although labeled with differing names still at their
center contain original truths. They are from an ancient family sharing
attributes and being redefined according to
the differing cultures of that distant time. From Sumeria to the Roman
empire we can see the longevity and diversity of these symbols
connecting Heaven and earth.